Effecting the Masses

This image is a desktop background for the upcoming game Mass Effect 3. The image itself is an advertisement, that fans of the video game series will willingly display, for free, on there computers. This image appeals to Pathos in many ways. The image depicts the new default female Shepard for the game that is to be featured on the box of the collector’s edition of the game. Many fans may feel an emotional attachment to this version of the hero of the game because they were given a host of options to vote on for the new default female Shepard and may buy the more expensive collector’s edition for that reason. For those who did know of the series, or did not intend to buy the game may change their mind do to seeing this heroine and finding her attractive or admirable in her particularly Bad-@$$ pose. This image has a small amount of ethos to it as well. Though small the name of the developer and publisher of Mass Effect 3 are in the corner of the image. Those who may not know of the game series but know these companies may purchase the game or the previous games in the series because they believe that this developer is known for making good games, or the publisher is known for publishing good games. Or it may convince someone who played the previous games because they believe the Mass Effect series has a good reputation. There is not much of an appeal to logos in this picture. As a fictional work it has little basis on fact. The only facts it truly provides is one of the renditions of the main character, a weapon you may use, the developer and producer, the name of the game, and the release date. These fact do not attempt to persuade you into buying the game, they are only there to so one who does want to buy the game this image is for will know what it’s called, when it’s coming out, and who’s making it. The kairos of the image is constantly changing. The image is distributed through the internet so many will not find it unless they are purposely looking for it or stumble on it accidentally. If someone chooses to display it as their background it could appeal very well at an informal gathering, or a gaming conference. It would not work very well at a formal business weekend, unless it is about projected sales of the game or theorizing how well the image would work in an ad campaign.